Fever, Age 3 And Younger: Check Your Symptoms

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When to See a Doctor

You have answered Yes to:

Does your child older than 3 months have a fever?

See significance of fever in a child if you need information to help you answer the questions below.

Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.

Note:

Be sure to try home treatment when your child has a fever. Sometimes home treatment is all that is needed to help lower your child's fever and help your child feel better.
If you are not able to measure your child's temperature, look for other symptoms of illness. Remember, fever is only a symptom, and often the importance of a fever can only be determined when other symptoms are evaluated.
It is not unusual for a young child to have 7 to 10 viral infections in a year. Each new viral infection may cause a fever. It may seem that a fever is ongoing, but if 48 hours have passed between fevers, then the new fever is most likely from a new illness.
A child who has received immunizations may have a fever up to 103°F (39.5°C) but may not need medical evaluation for this fever. If your doctor has given you instructions on how to treat your child's fever after immunizations, follow those instructions. Watch your child closely for other symptoms with the fever that you need to report to your health professional

: Call your child's health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
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Yes

: Call your child's health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
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Yes

: You may wait to see if your child's symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
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If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

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Last updated:	April 24, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics
Editors:	Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC, Tracy Landauer

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